Every culture has its ideal vision of masculinity. Sociologist Erving Goffman once wrote, “In an important sense there is only one completely unblushing male in America: a young, married, white, urban, northern, heterosexual, Protestant, father, of college education, fully employed, of good complexion, weight, and height, and a recent record in sports… Any male who…
The New World
Editor’s note: Thanksgiving is fast-approaching. But how many of us really know the origin story of this holiday? According to author Jay Milbrandt, we’ve commercialized and sanitized the story into one that is more legend than truth. He states, “I had simply glossed over the story until I traced my own lineage back to two of…
I Am Third
Editor’s note: This week marks the start of baseball’s fall classic, the World Series. This year the LA Dodgers are pitted against the Boston Red Sox for the major league championship. But 21 years ago, it was the Florida Marlins who took home baseball’s biggest crown. And as the winning run crossed the plate for…
Becoming a Man of Action
Fighting Your Way Up There is an old saying: champions don’t become champions in the ring—they are merely recognized there. That’s true. If you want to see where someone develops into a champion, look at his daily routine. Former heavyweight champ Joe Frazier stated, “You can map out a fight plan or a life plan.…
All Relationships Are Going Somewhere
Here’s something I heard recently. “Men move toward whatever makes them feel competent.” As soon as I heard that I knew it was true. Every man I know migrates toward something that makes him feel powerful and in control. If it’s work, he puts in more hours, if it’s sports he’s constantly at the gym.…
Cyber Sabbath
Let me ask you a few questions, and I want you to answer as honestly as you can. You should never lie to anyone, but remember, I’m a pastor, so it’s even worse if you lie to me. (I’d hate for lightning to strike you where you’re sitting and leave just the charred remains of…
Living Between the Lines
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet, and be steadfast in all your ways. — Proverbs 4:26 (NIV) 2017 was an interesting year for leadership. In fact, it may very well have been a pivotal year for the concept because so much of what happened raised a powerful yet simple question: Where have…
Jackie Robinson: A Fork in the Road
The path was not easier for Jackie simply because he embraced God. He was far from perfect and had a criminal record from his days in the gang, though it is clear that at least some of the arrests were racially motivated. Jackie and some of his friends were dragged off to jail at gunpoint…